Many types of Internet websites, such as blogs and forums, allow for publication of user-generated content. Also, such websites frequently allow for moderation of user-generated content. For example, such systems may assess the nature of the content and moderate publication of such content based upon the unsuitability of the content. User-generated content may be assessed, for example, to determine whether the content is of an abusive or otherwise unsuitable nature for publication on the website. User-generated content found to be unsuitable for publication may be prevented from an initial publication or may be removed from the website after an initial publication.
Some conventional moderation systems use supervisor-based (i.e., human) moderation, whereby one or more persons with special privileges enforces moderation policies. Other systems use user moderation, whereby users moderate content generated by other users. Still further moderation systems use a combination of supervisor and user moderation. However, the reliance on human moderators in existing systems tends to make the moderation process time-consuming and error-prone. Human moderators of highly popular websites, for example, may be unable to keep pace with a fast influx of content generated by users, which may result in long delays in publication of the user-generated content or in inadequate or error-prone moderation.